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Chicago hotel guide: 7 new, updated and renovated spots for summer tourists and staycations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

Grace Wong | Chicago TribuneDutch hotel chain citizenM opened its first hotel in downtown Chicago with 280 rooms and art by Nina Chanel Abney, who painted an abstract tribute to the city on the building’s exterior. (CitizenM)There’s no better time to enjoy Chicago than in the summer. Whether you’re taking advantage of world-class museums or soaking in the sun on the lakefront, the city comes alive when the days are long and the weather is warm.Some hotels are especially eager to welcome guests this year because they have a new look to show off. During the pandemic, they took advantage of their closed doors to update rooms, lobbies and curate new experiences. These upgrades weren’t cheap — many of them spent tens of millions of dollars to give their properties a face-lift.One of these hotels is the Ritz-Carlton (160 E. Pearson St., 312-266-1000, ritzcarltonchicago.com). Built in 1975, it was one of the first luxury hotels to open in Chicago. But it remained largely unchanged in décor...

Rivalry between Trump and DeSantis deepens with dueling New Hampshire campaign events

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

HOLLIS, N.H. (AP) — The rivalry between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump deepened Tuesday as the two leading Republican White House candidates staged dueling events in the critical early voting state of New Hampshire. Addressing a town hall in Hollis, DeSantis vowed to “actually” build the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump tried but failed to complete as president while pledging to tear down Washington’s traditional power centers in ways that Trump fell short.Speaking later at a Republican women’s luncheon in Concord, Trump countered that DeSantis was being forced to settle for second place in the primary and accused the governor of supporting cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other entitlement programs as a way to tame federal spending.Beyond the rhetoric, the conflicting events demonstrated each candidate’s evolving strategy. DeSantis took extensive audience questions — a trademark in New Hampshire politics that he eschewed during ...

EPA retreats on Louisiana investigations that alleged Black people lived amid higher cancer risk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

The Biden administration has dropped an investigation into whether Louisiana officials put Black residents living in an industrial stretch of the state at increased cancer risk, despite finding initial evidence of racial discrimination, according to a federal court filing Tuesday.The Environmental Protection Agency said a resolution “is not feasible” by a July deadline. It ends investigations that some activists in majority-Black communities had praised as finally offering a chance to improve their health.The agency said it has taken several “significant actions” involving Denka, a polymer plant at the heart of the investigations, including an agreement to cut emissions. It also filed a lawsuit against the company alleging it imposed an unacceptable cancer risk to nearby residents, and tightened regulations. But the investigation did not compel Louisiana to make any commitments of its own. Commonly, a civil rights investigation will end with commitments by the target to do better.Lo...

Actor Julian Sands died while hiking on California mountain, authorities confirm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Julian Sands, who starred in several Oscar-nominated films in the late 1980s and ’90s including “A Room With a View” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” was found dead on a Southern California mountain five months after he disappeared while hiking, authorities said Tuesday. An investigation confirmed that it was Sands whose remains hikers found Sunday in wilderness near Mount Baldy, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said. The 65-year-old actor was a longtime avid hiker who lived in Los Angeles and was reported missing Jan. 13 after setting out on the peak that rises more than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) east of the city. Crews aided by drones and helicopters had searched for him several times, but, severely hampered by wintry conditions that lasted through spring, no sign of him was found until the hikers came upon him.It has not yet been determined how he died, authorities said. Sands, who was born, raised and began acting in England, worked co...

From criticism to ‘common ground,’ Chow and Ford say they’ll work together

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

Toronto’s next mayor and Ontario’s premier vowed Tuesday to set aside their political differences to get much-needed housing built in the city, although there were early indications Olivia Chow and Doug Ford could clash on other issues in the future.The two traded barbs earlier this month before Chow won Toronto’s mayoral byelection on Monday night – Ford previously said her mayoralty would be an “unmitigated disaster,” while Chow cast Ontario’s “strong mayor” policies as undemocratic interference in city politics. A day after the election, both politicians had softened their stances.“I can absolutely work with Premier Doug Ford. We love this city,” Chow said as she arrived for meetings at city hall Tuesday afternoon.“There will be common ground.” Ford, who had supported former police chief Mark Saunders in the race, had the same message. “She’s been in politics long enough, and during the election y...

Former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson joins community housing board

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

Former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson is now a member of the Ottawa Community Housing foundation’s board of directors, the non-profit organization announced Tuesday. “Jim Watson has a passion for community organizations and he’s been a longtime supporter of those working in the housing and homelessness sector,” said Angela Begin, the foundation’s executive director.Begin said Watson brings a wealth of experience and an understanding of the community’s needs. This is the first non-profit board he has joined since he stepped away from politics. The position is unpaid. Watson will volunteer to support charitable programming in education, employment and youth engagement for Ottawa Community Housing, Begin said. “Most of our programs have more than doubled in the past years as we try to respond to the immediate and emerging needs of tenants living in OCH communities,” she said. “I believe that with allies such as our former mayor we can continue to extend the...

Competition Bureau calls for limits to property controls in grocery industry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

Canada’s competition watchdog is calling for changes to a common real estate practice used by grocers to limit competition.The practice involves a grocer adding a special clause to a lease or deed — sometimes called a restrictive covenant — to limit the kind of store that can open at a location after the grocer leaves the property.In a report on the country’s retail grocery sector released on Tuesday, the Competition Bureau said these restrictive clauses curb competition and make it harder for new supermarkets to open.“Property controls limit how real estate can be used by competing grocers,” the Bureau said. “Such controls can harm competition by making it difficult — or even impossible — for businesses to open up new grocery stores.”The report recommends governments take measures to limit restrictive covenants in the grocery industry — including banning their use.“Property controls reduce consumer choice,” the report said. “Thi...

Suncor cyberattack likely to cost company millions of dollars, expert says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

CALGARY — The systems breach at Suncor Energy Inc. will likely cost the company millions of dollars before it is able to resolve the issue, according to a cybersecurity expert.Jon Ferguson, general manager of cybersecurity at the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, made the comments in an interview Tuesday, two days after the Calgary-based oil and gas giant issued a news release saying it had experienced a “cybersecurity incident.”As of Tuesday afternoon, the cyberattack was still affecting many of Suncor’s Petro-Canada retail locations across the country, with many still unable to accept credit or debit payments.The company’s Petro-Points app and website also remained unavailable.Suncor has declined to provide details about the type of attack or which other parts of its operations may have been affected, but Ferguson said it’s fair to assume that it will take some time before the company can get back to normal.“One of the challenges here is...

Fringe Toronto mayoral candidate Gong demands recount despite losing by over 266K votes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

Despite losing to winner Olivia Chow by a whopping 266,389 votes in Monday’s byelection, fringe Toronto mayoral candidate Xiao Hua Gong is asking for a recount.In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, Gong thanked his supporters but questioned the validity of the results, which saw Chow fend off a surging Ana Bailão to claim the city’s top job with 37.17 per cent of the vote.Gong ended the evening with 2,983 votes, which represented 0.41 per cent.“We question this mayoral result and believe it’s crucial to ensure the voting was accurate and fair,” Gong tweeted.“Hence, we’re asking for a recount.”The results of the election are set to be certified by the city clerk on Wednesday.Toronto, thanks for incredible support in this election. We question this Mayoral result and believe it’s crucial to ensure the voting was accurate and fair. Hence, we’re asking for a recount! Our commitment to you and improving Toronto stays strong. #Toronto...

Hate crimes rose 20.2% in California in 2022

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reported hate crimes increased in California in 2022, including instances of violence motivated by bias, according to state data released Tuesday.Hate crimes involving racism against Black people, as well as homophobia and anti-Semitism, all rose last year, compared with 2021 data.Overall hate crime events — which officials say are likely underreported — increased 20.2% in 2022, from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120. Crimes targeting Black people in California remain the most widespread and rose 27.1% — from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022 — in the aftermath of the country’s racial reckoning following George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officers in 2020.But anti-Asian bias events decreased by 43.3% in 2022, from 247 in 2021 to 140, after major increases in past years following the emergence of the coronavirus in China. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the figures Tuesday during a news conference in Los Angeles. The California Department of Just...